POLITICS

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement on Wednesday challenged the far-right League to split with its coalition partners by the end of this week and form a government together, as talks to end Italy’s post-election deadlock floundered.

DIARY

State auditor holds first hearing on legal procedure on derivatives management against Finance Ministry directors and Morgan Stanley in Rome (0800 GMT).

DEBT

Treasury announces sale of CTZ and BTPei bonds, with relative amounts to be auctioned on April 24.

TELECOM ITALIA

Activist Elliott Advisors issued on Thursday a fresh attack on Vivendi as the hedge fund’s battle with the French media group over Telecom Italia intensifies.

(*) CEO Amos Genish told Il Sole 24 Ore daily in an interview that the only asset the group could sell is its cable unit Sparkle as all the others are strategic.

(*) BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA

CEO Marco Morelli told la Repubblica in an interview the bank needs to first strengthen its business before considering any extraordinary operation which is anyway a matter for its shareholders.

ASSICURAZIONI GENERALI

Annual and extraordinary shareholder’s meeting (0700 GMT).

Italy’s biggest insurer Generali has agreed to sell its Belgian operations to Bermuda-based Athora Holding for 540 million euros ($668.5 million) as part of its plans to shrink its global business and shore up capital.

ENI

Italian oil major Eni has no plans to pull out of its joint venture with Russia’s Rosneft despite escalating sanctions against Russia, the head of Eni said on Wednesday.

TELECOM ITALIA

A court in Milan will hold a hearing on Friday to discuss Telecom Italia’s (TIM) appeal against a decision by its statutory auditors to add a motion proposed by activist fund Elliott to its April 24 AGM agenda, two judicial sources said.